Warp stop motion for textile machines



Feb. 1, 1955 K. w. HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet1 92,25 omzs 80 93 5Ibl03 INVENTORZ J KENNETH W. HORNE.

& B @w ATTORNEYS.

Feb. '1, 1955 K. w. HORNE WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

S hm om mm e3 m2 L 222332 KENNETH W. Harem,

nww m 1955 K. w. HORNE WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 19, 1952 Feb. 1, 1955 K. w. HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet4 INSULATION 84 92 9 2A INSULATION KENNETH W. HORNE, INVENTOR.

BY gww. M

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 1, 1955 w HORNE 2,700,880

WARP STOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed Dec. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet5 INSULATION INSULATION Kzrmam W HORNE.

INVENTOR.

ZLZMM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent WARP TOP MOTION FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Kenneth W.Home, Wadesboro, N. C.

Application December 19, 1952, Serial No. 326,910

7 Claims. (Cl. 66163) This invention relates to textile machines whereinwarp yarns are fed thereto and wherein an electrically operated stopmotion is employed, and relates more especially to an attachment for usewith such machines for closing the circuit of the warp stop motion, uponany of the warp yarns being parted, to stop the machine.

The present invention is particularly adapted to be associated with atricot knitting machine, commonly termed a Kidde machine of a typeproduced by Kiddo Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Bloomfield, NewJersey, under various patents, including United States Patent Number2,427,395, dated September 16, 1947. However, it is to be understoodthat the present invention is not limited to this particular make ofmachine, but may be used on any tricot knitting machine as well as othertypes of strand processing textile machinery.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple andefiicient device which may be readily applied to a machine wherein Warpyarns are fed, particularly warp knitting machines, and which devicewill close the circuit of a conventional warp stop motion of the machineto stop the machine upon breakage of one or more warp yarns.

It is another object of this invention to provide a stop motionactuating device for textile machines wherein warp yarns are fed theretocomprising a transverse row of a plurality of pivoted gauges, drop-wiresor contact members of relatively thin electrically conductive materialwhich are pivotally supported intermediate their ends beneath thegeneral path of travel of the warp yarns, there being one of said gaugesfor each warp yarn and said gauges having upturned head portions withthread guide notches therein through which the corresponding yarns passin their course to or from the machine. Each of the gauges has a tailportion, remote from the upturned head portion which is normally held inspaced relation to a common contact bar by the yarn, under propertension, engaging the bottoms of said notches in the head portions ofthe gauges. Upon any of the yarns being parted, the tail portion, beingheavier than the head portion of each gauge, moves downwardly, bygravity, and engages the contact bar to close a circuit to theconventional stop motion of the machine to stop the machine.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a stop motionattachment of the character described, wherein the notch in each of thehead portions is disposed substantially centrally of the correspondinghead portion of the gauge and defines a pair of ears, one of which islonger than the other and wherein means are provided for manuallyshifting all of the gauges laterally while the head portions of thegauges are locked in spaced relation immediately below the warp yarns,and to also provide means for simultaneously releasing all of the gaugesto permit the tail portions thereof to move downwardly and thereby movethe head portions thereof upwardly to where the longest of said ears orprojections on the head portions extend between adjacent warp yarns.

The gauges are then shifted to their normal positions in alinement withthe respective Warp yarns whereupon the gauges are further released topermit the head portions thereof to move upwardly so the yarns extendthrough the notches or slots between the ears on each of the gaugesthereby automatically threading the yarns through the notches in saidgauges.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top planview of a portion of a warp knitting machine showing the improved warpstop motion actuating device mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a warp-wise fragmentary vertical sectional view showing theupper portion of the machine and being taken substantially along theline 2-2 in Figure 1, but also showing additional parts of the machine,as compared with Figure 1, and many of the parts which are not pertinentto the present invention being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower portion of Figure1, showing the improved stop motion actuating device in detail;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view similar to Figure 3, but

showing the pivoted contact members or gauges shifted to one side of thenormal planes of the corresponding warp yarns, and showing the gauges aspositioned during the threading operation;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing one of the pivotedcontact members or gauges in a slightly difierent position and beingtaken substantially along the line 77 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 8-8 in Figure 3 showing the contact bar in the positionthey occupy during normal operation of the machine, and showing, inbroken lines, the position to which the gauge moves upon breakage of thecorresponding warp yarn;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the head portion ofone of the gauges or pivoted contact members, looking down substantiallyalong the line 9--9 in Figure 8, illustrating the manner in which theyarn passes through the head portion;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevation, partially in section, of one endof the improved attachment looking substantially along the line 1010 inFigure 3;

Figure 11 is a schematic Wiring diagram, showing the manner in which theimproved stop motion actuating device is connected to the conventionalstop motion;

Figures 12 and 13 are views similar to Figure 8, but showing the pivotedcontact member or gauge in two different successive positions to whichit is moved in the course of threading the corresponding warp yarntherethrough;

Figure 14 is another view similar to Figure 8, showing one of the gaugesor pivoted contact members in normal operative position, but showing thegauge in an alternate inactive position in broken lines.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11indicate the end or side frame members of a warp knitting machine whichis shown as being particularly of the Kiddie type as heretoforedescribed. The end frame members 10 and 11 are spanned by asubstantially channel-shaped girt or horizontal frame member 12 and alsohave opposite ends of a pair of warp beam supporting shafts 13 and 14mounted therein. The machine has the usual upper and lower rows offlanged warp beams 15 and 16, respectively, and from whence respectivesheets of warp yarns 2t), 29' pass to the usual knittinginstrumentalities. The knitting instrumentalities include the usual yarnguides 21, 21 through which the respggtive warp yarns 2t], pass toneedles 22 and sinkers The yarn guides 21, 21 are carried by respectivearms 24, 24 fixed on a conventional guide rocker shaft 25 which extendslongitudinally of the machine and is oscillatably supported on suitablebrackets 26, only one of which is shown in Figure 2, carried by the girt12. The needles 22 are carried by the usual needle bar 27 supported onarms 30 fixed on a conventional needle shaft 31. The sinkers 23 aresupported on arms 32, only one of which is shown, fixed on aconventional sinker shaft 33.

Disposed rearwardly of sinker shaft 33 is a press shaft 34 having aplurality of arms 35 fixed thereon, only one of which is shown, to whichthe usual presser bar 36 is suitably secured. The knittinginstrumentalities, including the parts 21 to 36, inclusive, areconventional and cooperate in knitting fabric F which successivelypasses over a guide rod 37, beneath a conventional sand roll 40 and thenupwardly to a take-up roll 41 which is driven in a conventional mannerto take up the fabric F as it is knitted. The members 31, 33, 34, 37, 40and 41 are suitably supported by the side frame members and 11 and aredriven in the usual manner by means not shown, but being well known tothose familiar with the art. Accordingly, a further description thereofis deemed unnecessary.

In their course to the knitting instrumentalities, the warp yarns 20,successively pass over respective rear guide bars 42, 42' past theimproved stop motion actuating mechanism, to be later described, andbetween a plurality of closely spaced separator points of sley points43, 43' respectively, between each adjacent pair of which one of thecorresponding warp yarns passes. points 43 or 43' may be collectivelytermed as a reed. The lower ends of the sley points or separator points43, 43' are suitably secured in respective common bars 44, 44 carried byyarn front supporting guides or sley point carrier bars 45 and 45',respectively.

The front yarn guide or sley point carrier bar 45 is most clearly shownin Figures 3, 6 and 7 and is inverted T- shaped in cross-section.Opposite ends of each bar 45, 45' are suitably secured to the proximalends of shafts 46, 47 journaled in suitable bearings 50 (Figure 1)carried by the side or end frame members 10 and 11. One of the shafts 46or 47 is oscillatably driven in a conventional manner at a relativelyslow speed to cause the rear guide bars 42, 42' to pivot about the axesof the corresponding shafts 46, 47 as the warp yarns 20, 20 arewithdrawn from the respective warp beams 15 and 16.

The rear guide bars 42, 42 are connected to the respective sley pointcarrier bars 44, 44 in a conventional manner and it will be observed inFigures 3 and 6, for example, that the bar 42 is connected to the bar 44by means of a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending rods orframe members. The intermediate rods are indicated at 51. In theircourse to the knitting instrumentalities, the warp yarns 20, 26 passfrom the respective front guide bars 44, 44 over suitable conventionalyarn tensioning devices 55, carried by respective bars 56, 56' suitablysupported by the end frame members 10 and 11.

The warp conventional warp stop motion is shown schematically in Figure11 as a solenoid switch or circuit breaker generally designated at 66and which includes a solenoid plunger 61 having a switch bar or bus bar62 fixed to one end thereof which normally is biased, as by a spring 63,to complete a circuit between wires 64 and 65.

The wire 64 extends to a suitable plug 66 adapted to be connected to asuitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

The wire extends to one side of an electric motor 67 which drives themachine and to the other side of which a wire 70 is connected. The wire70 is also connected to the side of the plug 66 remote from the side towhich the wire 64 is connected and may have a suitable manually operablemaster switch 71 interposed therein. Since it is well known that thistype of knitting machine is driven by an electric motor, a detailedillustration of the mechanical connections between the electric motor 67and the knitting instrumentalities is deemed unnecessary.

As a matter of fact, the electric motor is merely shown by way ofillustration, since it is evident that the switch or relay 60 may beemployed for other purposes, such as for operating a clutch mechanism,although the motor or other driving means for the machine may continueoperating when the switch bar 62 is moved to open position. The circuitbreaker or relay 66 also includes a coil 74 which surrounds the plunger61 and to opposite ends of which wires 75 and 76 are connected. The endof the wire 75 remote from the coil 74 is connected intermediate theends of the wire 64 and the wire 76 is connected to the improved stopmotion actuating device to be presently described.

The parts of the knitting machine heretofore described are conventionaland, accordingly, a further detailed description thereof, is deemedunnecessary. The improved stop motion is particularly adapted to be usedThe sley with a machine of the type described and is positioned betweenthe rear and front respective guide bars 42, 42' and 44, 44'. However,it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention may be usedin association with any machine wherein yarn is fed thereto in the formof a warp and wherein is employed an electrically operated warp stopmotion.

Having thus described the conventional parts of the knitting machine orother machine with which the present invention is adapted to beassociated, a description will now be given of the improved stop motionactuating device.

The improved stop motion comprises a plurality of forwardly andrearwardly extending pivoted contact members, drop-wires or metallicgauges, each of which is indicated at 80. These metallic gauges 80 aremade from a relatively thin material and, ordinarily, there is one ofthese gauges 80 for each of the strands of the warp yarn 20. There isone of these gauges 80 disposed between the rear and front guide bars 42and 43 for each of the strands of Warp yarn 20. It is evident that anidentical stop motion may be disposed between the bars 42' and 43' and,accordingly, only the stop motion disposed between the bars 42 and 43will be described in detail and like reference characters shall apply toany of those parts of the stop motion which are visible in Figure 2disposed between the yarn guide bars 42' and 43'.

Each of the gauges or pivoted contact members 80 in each group ispivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a gauge or drop-wire pivotshaft 81, there being one of these pivot shafts disposed between eachadjacent pair of the forwardly and rearwardly extending rods 51 and eachof which has a plurality of said gauges 8i pivotally mounted thereon, asis clearly shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6. It will be noted in Figure 1that there are rods 51a and 51b at opposite ends of the machine whichare identical to the intermediate rods 51 disposed at proximal ends ofadjacent warp beams 15 so that a group of the drop-wires, pivotedcontact members or gauges 80 is provided for each of the warp beams 15.

Each of the drop-wires 80 includes an overbalancing weight or tailportion 82 at one side of the pivot shaft 83. which, in this instance,is the rear portion of each gauge 80. Each drop-Wire 80 also includes anupwardly curving head portion 83 provided with a substantially centrallydisposed thread guide notch or slot 84 in the free upper end thereofdefining first and second cars 85 and 86. In order to minimize thefrictional contact of each of the yarns 20 passing through the threadguide notch 84 of the corresponding gauge or drop-Wire 8t) and to alsoassist in threading the yarns through these notches 84, as will bepresently described, the proximal edges of the cars 85 and 86 areoppositely beveled, as at 35a and 86a, respectively (see Figure 9).

Ordinarily, there is one of these gauges 86 provided for each of thewarp yarns 20 and, during normal operation of the machine, the yarns 20pass through the thread guide notches 84, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 8,9, 10 and 14. Since the yarns 20 are disposed in close proximity to oneanother, the gauges or drop-wires 86 are necessarily made from arelatively thin electrically conductive sheet metal.

It will be noted that the gauges 80 are disposed in closely spacedrelation beneath the path of travel of the warp yarns 20 as said yarnspass over the yarn supporting bars 42, 44. In order to stabilize thegauges or dropwires 80 as to lateral longitudinal swinging movement onthe corresponding shafts 81 and to also maintain said gauges ordrop-wires in proper spaced relation to each other, a plurality ofspacing collars 87 are also mounted on each of the shafts 81 betweenadjacent gauges or drop-wires 80.

It will be observed in Figures 8 and 12 to 14 inclusive, that thecollars 87 are preferably of substantially the same diameter as thewidth of the tail portion 82 of the adjacent gauges or drop-wires 8i)and are preferably eccentrically mounted on the corresponding pivotshafts 31. Also, the upper edges of the gauges or drop-wires 80 aredisposed in closer relation to the shafts 8i than the lower edgesthereof to further assist in preventing the gauges from tilting on theshaft 81. These spacing collars 87 may be mounted on the correspondingpivot shafts 81 independently of the adjacent gauges or dropwires 80 0.1there may be one of the collars 87 integral with or suitably secured toone side of each of the gauges or drop-wires 80, as desired.

In order to further insure that the gauges or dropwires 80 may pivotfreely on the corresponding pivot shafts 81 without tilting laterallyexcessively, the outermost of the gauges or drop-wires 80 in each groupare engaged by collars 90 which may be identical to the Collars 87 andthe distal surfaces of the collars 90 associated with each group ofgauges or drop-wires 80 are engaged by locknuts 91 threadably mounted onopposite threaded ends of the corresponding shafts 81. This alsofacilitates adjustment of the collars 87 and 90 and the gauges 80 oneach of the pivot shafts 81.

Opposite ends of each of the pivot shafts 81 are suitably secured to thefront portions of a corresponding pair of stop motion support blocks 92and 93 which are preferably made from insulation material or, at least,opposite ends of the pivot shaft 81 should be insulated from theadjacent parts of the machine. Opposite ends of a wire or otherconductor 94 are suitably connected to the proximal ends of adjacentshafts 81, as by nuts 95 threadably mounted on the ends of the shafts 81and bearing against the remote surfaces of the adjacent support blocks92 and 93.

Of course, the outermost of one of the pivot shafts 81 has a wire orconductor 96 suitably connected to its outer end, such as by a nut 97threadably mounted on the end of the corresponding pivot shaft 81 andbearing against the inner surface of the corresponding support block 93adjacent rod 51!) in Figure 6. It will be observed in Figure ll that theend of the wire 96 remote from the corresponding pivot shaft 81 isconnected intermediate the ends of the wire 70.

The upper rear portions of the support blocks 92 and 93 associated withall of the groups of the gauges or drop-wires 80 are suitably secured toa common pivoted lateral shifting shaft 100, as by pins 101 (Figures 3,5, 6 and 12). The lateral shifting shaft 100 may be oscillatablysupported on the forwardly and rearwardly extending rods 51, 51a and 51bin any desired manner and, in this instance, the lateral shifting rod100 rests upon the rods or bars 51. 51a and 51b and is held thereagainstby inverted U-shaped rods or staples 102 whose lower ends are suitablysecured to each of the rods 51, 51a and 51b.

It will be noted in Figures 8 and 12 to 14, inclusive, that the lateralshifting rod 100 also serves as a limiting means to limit upwardmovement of the tail portions 82 of the gauges or drop-wires 80.Opposite ends of the lateral shifting rod or member 100 each has asuitable handle or knob 103 fixed thereon which is adapted to be graspedby an operator for moving the lateral shifting member 100 relative tothe warp yarns for purposes to be later described.

The front portion of each of the blocks 92 and 93 rests upon a cambroadly designated at 105. Each of the cams 105 is symmetrical and has ahigh surface 106, a low surface 107, disposed in substantiallydiametrically opposed relation to the surface 106, and a pair ofintermediate surfaces 108, 109. The surfaces 108 and 109 are preferablydisposed in perpendicular relation to surfaces 106, 107 and are disposedin diametrically opposed relation to each other.

The cams 105 are fixed on a common cam shaft 112 suitably rotatablysupported beneath the blocks 92 and 93. In this instance, the cam shaftis rotatably supported in hook or eye portions 113 on the lower ends ofeye bolts 114 which extend upwardly and slidably penetrate thecorresponding bars or rods 51, 51a and 51b and are held therein by meansof corresponding pairs of locknuts 115 and 116 which engage therespective upper and lower surfaces of the rod or bars 51, 51a and 51band are threadably mounted on each of the eye-bolts 114. Thus, thepositions of the cams 105 may be vertically adjusted in order to insurethat the slots 84 in the dropwires or gauges are positioned at theproper level for the yarns 20 to pass therethrough in engagement withthe bottoms of the notches during normal operation of the machine. inorder to prevent endwise movement of shaft 112 when the support blocks92, 93 are moved laterally against cams 105, the cam shaft 112 hassuitable cotter pins 1120 or the like therein engaging the outersurfaces of the endmost eye-bolts 114 (Figures 4 and 10).

The cams 105 are manually rotatable, for purposes to of the contact bars125 be later described, and, in order to adjust the cams 105, oppositeends of cam shaft 112 each has a peripherally surrated friction wheel orratchet wheel 120 thereon which is adapted to be grasped and rotated bythe operator and the periphery of each of which is engaged by a leafspring member 121 normally biased in engagement with the correspondingratchet wheel 120 and suitably secured to the lower surface of the bar44. Thus, the cams 105 may be adjusted to any one of the positions shownin Figures 8, 12 or 13 and will be restrained in adjusted position bythe leaf spring members 121 engaging the corresponding ratchet wheels120.

The tail portions 82 of each group of gauges or drop wires 80 arenormally disposed in spaced relation above a corresponding drop-wireadjusting and contact rod or bar 125 eccentrically supported by thecorresponding stop motion support blocks 92 and 93. To this end,opposite ends of each of the contact bars or rods 125 haveright-angularly bent portions 126 integral therewith. The portions 126of the contact bars 125 at the juncture of adjacent groups of thedrop-wires or gauges 80 are adjustably secured to opposite ends ofintermediate contact pivot shafts 127 (Figures 3 and 6) and the remoteends of the endmost of the contact bars 125 are suitably secured torelatively short second contact pivot shafts 130, there being one ofthese second contact pivot shafts at each end of the machine rotatablymounted in the corresponding endmost blocks 92 and 93. Of course, theintermediate pivot shafts 127 are rotatably mounted in adjacent supportblocks 92 and 93, disposed on opposite sides of the intermediate rods51, thereby serving as contact members between the proximal ends ofadjacent contact bars 125.

In this instance, the right-angularly bent portions 126 are adjustablysecured to the corresponding pivot shafts 127 and 130 by transverselypenetrating the corresponding pivot shafts 127 and 130 and having locknuts 132 and 133 threadably mounted thereon and engaging opposite sidesof the corresponding shafts 127 and 130. Since the pivot shafts 127 and130 serve as contact members, here again the blocks 92 and 93 should bemade of insulation material or the shafts 127 and 130 should be suitablyinsulated from the adjacent parts of the machine.

The outer end of each of the end pivot shafts 130 has a peripherallyserrated friction wheel or ratchet wheel 134 fixed thereon or integraltherewith. Each of the shafts 130 also has a suitable control knob 135fixed thereon which may be integral with the ratchet wheel 134 and isadapted to be grasped by the operator for rotating the contact bars 125as desired, for purposes to be later described.

Referring to Figures 4, 8, l0, and 11, it will be observed that each ofthe ratchet wheels 134 is engaged by the free end of a leaf springmember 136, normally biased into engagement therewith. Each of the leafspring members 136 extends outwardly and is suitably secured to ametallic block 137. The blocks 137 are suitably sc-- cured to the outersurfaces of the corresponding endmost support blocks 92 and 93. It willbe observed in the right-hand portion of Figures 3, 6, 10 and 11 and inFigure 4, that one of the blocks 137 has the end of the wire 76 remotefrom the circuit breaker 60 suitably connected thereto. It will also benoted that the leaf spring member or pawl 136 is so formed at its endwhich engages the corresponding ratchet wheel 134, as to permit thecontact bars 125 to be rotated in either direction, the leaf springmembers or pawls 136 serving to restrain the contact bars 125 againstunintentional movement w en adjusted to the desired position.

It is thus seen that the support blocks 92 and 93 may be adjusted aboutthe axis of the laterally shifting bar or rod 100 by means of the cams105 and all of the pivoted contact members, gauges or drop-wires 80 maybe shifted laterally simultaneously relative to the warp yarns 20 and,also, the position of the gauges or drop-wires 80 may be adjusted aboutthe axis of the pivot shafts 81 relative to the stop motion supportblocks 92 and 93 simultaneously.

movable parts of the improved stop motion actuating device occupy therelative positions shown in Figure 8;

that is, the support blocks 92 and 93 are held in their highest positionby the high surfaces 166 of the cams 185 engaging the lower surfacesthereof and the contact bars or rods 125 occupy an intermediate forwardposition reiative to the axis thereof, underlying the tail portions 82of the drop-wires so that those yarns 28 passing through the threadguide slots or notches 84 hold the tail portions 82 in spaced relationabove the contact bars or rods 125.

It might be stated that, while the yarns 20 are passing through thethread guide notches 84 in the drop-wires or gauges 8%), thesedrop-wires 80 cause a slight additional tension in the correspondingyarns 28 in advance of these yarns passing between the sley points orseparator points 43, thereby substantially minimizing vibration of theyarns at this particular zone which, heretofore, has caused the yarns tobecome entangled or, at least to adhere to each other. It is evidentthat the spacing of the yarns, as illustrated in Figures 1, 3 and 6, isexaggerated for purposes of clarity and the yarns are normally muchcloser together than that illustrated. Of course, the spacing collars 87are also substantially thinner than that illustrated and are usuallysubstantially the same thickness as the adjacent gauges or drop-wires80.

Upon any one or more of the warp yarns 20 being parted or broken, or thetension in any one or more of the warp yarns 21? becoming undulyslackened, the weight portions 82 of the corresponding drop-wires orgauges 80 move from the solid line to the dotted line position shown inFigure 8. This immediately completes a circuit between the correspondingpivot shaft 81 and the corresponding contact bar 125 to thereby actuatethe conventional stop motion of the machine as exemplified by thecircuit breaker 60 in Figure 11. In this instance, the

solenoid coil 74 is energized causing the core 61 and the switch bar 62to move downwardly, to thereby break the circuit to the electric motor67 to stop the machine.

Now, in order to thread all of the warp yarns 20 through the notches 84and the corresponding drop-wires or gauges 80 simultaneously, as wouldbe the case when the improved stop motion actuating device is initiallyinstalled or when a new warp is installed on the machine, the operatorinitially turns the ratchet wheels 120 to move the cam surfaces 107 intoengagement with the lower surfaces of the stop motion support blocks 92and 93 (Figure 12), thereby permitting the stop motion support blocks tomove downwardly about the axis of the lateral shifting member 100, fromthe position shown in Figures 8 and 14 to that shown in Figure 12.

One or the other of the knobs 135 is also rotated to move the contactbars 125 upwardly to cause the upper edges of the tail portions 82 ofthe gauges or drop-wires 80 to engage the lower surface of the lateraladjusting rod 100. This enables the operator to move the warp yarns 2t)freely and thereby facilitates threading the warp yarns 29 between thesley points 43 and through the corresponding knitting instrumentalities.

After the warp yarns 20 have been properly threaded over the bars 42 and44 and between the sley points 43, and are held under proper tension bythe tension apparatus 55, although it is not always necessary, thegauges or drop-wires 80 may be laterally shifted to the left from theposition shown in Figure 3, so the cars 85 thereof are disposed slightlyto the left of the corresponding yarn 20, by moving the lateral shiftingrod 109 slightly to the left in Figure 3. In so doing, all of the stopmotion support blocks 92 and 93 the shafts 127, 138 and 81 and thecontact bars 125 are also moved therewith.

Thereafter, the cams 105 are rotated in either direction so that one orthe other of the intermediate cam surfaces 108 and 109 on each of thecams 105 engage the lower surfaces of the corresponding blocks 92 and93, thereby elevating them to the intermediate position shown in Figure13. it will be noted that this raises the head portions 83 of the gaugesor drop-wires 86 so that the first ears 85 thereof are disposed betweenadjacent yarns 26 while the second ears 86 are still disposed below thenormal plane of the warp yarns 20.

The operator then grasps one of the knobs 133 and shifts the drop-wiresor gauges 8i) laterally to substantially the position shown in Figure 6and, since the yarns are then under tension, they engage the adjacentsley points or separator points 43 causing the portions of the yarnengaging the ears 85 to be biased to extend at an angle from each of thecars 45 to the corresponding sley points 43 and to thereby extend acrossand above the corresponding thread guide notches 84.

Now, in the event that the tension of the yarns 20 against the ears 85of the gauges or drop-wires causes the latter to tend to swing laterallyexcessively about the pivot shafts 81. The nuts 91 may be momentarilytightened against the collars 98 to thereby cause the dropwires orgauges St) to be tightly gripped between the corresponding spacingcollars 37. However, if the nuts 91 had been previously properlyadjusted, it is unlikely that it would be necessary to clamp the gaugesor drop-wires St} between the gauges and collars 87 in order to threadthe warp yarns 20 through the thread guide slots or notches 84 therein.

After the gauges or drop-wires 89 have been moved to substantially theposition shown in Figure 6 relative to the sley points or separatorpoints 43, the cam shaft 112 is again rotated to move the cams 195 fromthe position shown in Figure 13 to that shown in Figures 8 and 14thereby causing the second cars 86 to move upwardly above the plane ofthe yarn 29 and, consequently, threading one of the yarns 20 througheach of the thread guide slots or notches 84. After the blocks 92 and 93have been moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 8, to cause theyarns to extend through the notches 84 between the cars 85 and 86 on thegauges or drop-wires 80, the gauges or drop-wires 81) are again shiftedto the left, from substantially the position shown in Figure 6 to theposition shown in Figure 3. The contact bars are then rotated in acounterclockwise direction from substantially the position shown inFigure 13 to that shown in Figure 8.

It may sometimes happen that there are more gauges or drop-wires 80 thanthere are warp yarns 20. Therefore, upon initially adjusting the supportblocks 92 and 93 to substantially the position shown in Figure 8, thecontact bars 125 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction from theposition shown in Figures 12 and 13 to that shown in Figure 14, tothereby move the same to the opposite side of the axis thereof relativeto the pivot shaft 81 and in which position the contact bars 125 will beclear of the tail portions 82 of the gauges or dropwires 80. Since allof the gauges 80 are supported by the bars 125 as they are initiallymoved upwardly, as the blocks 92 and 93 are moved from the positionshown in Figures 12 and 13 to the position shown in Figure 14, it isevident that the tail portions 82 will then cause any of the gauges ordrop-wires 80 which do not have a corresponding warp yarn 20 passingthrough notch 84 thereof to swing about the corresponding pivot shaft81, in a clockwise direction to the broken line position shown in Figure14. It will be noted that the cam shaft 112 is so spaced from the pivotshafts 81 that the tail portion 82 of any of the inactive drop-wires orgauges 80 will then rest against the cam shaft 112.

The operator then again rotates the contact bars 125 in a clockwisedirection, from the position shown Figure 14 to substantially theposition shown in Figure 8, whereupon the master switch 71 (Figure 14)may be closed to again start the machine.

though the head portions 83 of the gauges or dropwires 80 are shown anddescribed as extending forwardly relative to the direction of travel ofthe warp yarns 2%, there are instances in which it may be desirable thatthe improved stop motion apparatus faces in the opposite direction sothe head portions 83 of the gauges or drop-wires 80 face toward thedirection from whence the yarns are moving. Accordingly, the use of theterms forwardly, and rearwardly, are used merely for purposes ofdescription and are not to be construed as limitations in thespecification and claims.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved stop motion, yarncontrolled circuit breaker and maker or stop motion actuating device fortextile machines wherein yarn is fed thereto in the form of a warp andwherein an electrical apparatus is provided, the actuating deviceincluding a plurality of gauges, drop-wires or pivoted contact memberswhich are supported in an overbalanced manner so the head portionsthereof tend to move upwardly and are normally held in an optimumposition by the yarn passing through the notches therein and, uponbreakage of any one or more of the yarns, the corresponding drop-wireswill be released and the tail portions thereof will move downwardly, bygravity, to make or break a circuit.

Further, it is seen that I have provided means for quickly threading allthe yarns through the gauges or drop-wires simultaneously and to alsopermit any of the drop-wires which do not have warp yarns passingtherethrough to be moved to inactive position automatically upon theyarns being threaded through the thread guide notches in the headportions of the dropwires or gauges.

In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; thecombination of at least two laterally spaced support blocks, meanspivotally supporting said support blocks beneath the path of travel ofsaid warp yarns, an electrically conductive pivot shaft spacedsubstantially from the means for pivotally supporting said supportblocks and being carried by said support blocks, a contact bar spacedsubstantially below the level of the means pivotally supporting thesupport blocks, a plurality of metallic drop-wires pivotally supportedintermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each of said drop-wireshaving an tip-turned head portion thereon provided with a thread guideslot in its upper end through which a corresponding warp yarn normallypasses, a tail portion on each of said drop-wires normally held inspaced relation above the contact bar by said warp yarns under normaltension whereby, upon a warp yarn having less than normal tensiontherein, the tail portion of the corresponding drop-wire falls intoengagement with the contact bar to complete an electrical circuitbetween the pivot shaft and the contact bar, and cam means engaging saidsupport blocks for adjusting the position thereof about the means forpivotally supporting said support blocks to thereby vary the position ofthe head portions of the drop-wires, collectively, relative to said warpyarns.

2. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; thecombination of a contact pivot shaft spaced beneath and extendinglaterally of the path of travel of said warp yarns, a plurality ofdrop-wires pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on said pivotshaft, each of said drop-wires having a head portion and a tail portiondisposed on the opposite side of the pivot shaft from the head portion,a contact bar normally spaced beneath the tail portions of thedrop-wires, each head portion having a pair of closely spaced earsthereon, namely, a first ear and a second ear, defining a thread guidenotch therebetween through which a corresponding yarn normally passeswhereby, upon a yarn having less than normal tension therein, the headportion is permitted to move upwardly thereby permitting the tailportion to move downwardly, by gravity, into engagement with the contactbar, said first ear extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of thesecond ear, means for collectively adjusting the positions of the headportions of the drop-wires relative to the warp yarns whereby the earson the head portions may be positioned beneath the level of the warpyarns and the upper edges of the second and first ears may besuccessively respectively positioned immediately below the level of thewarp yarns, and means for collectively shifting the drop-wires laterallyrelative to the warp yarns to facilitate threading the warp yarnsthrough the thread guide notches in the head portions of the drop-wires.

3. In a structure according to claim 2, means for adjusting the positionof the contact bar to where it will clear the free ends of the tailportions of the dropwires whereby, upon the absence of a warp yarnpassing through any one of the thread guide notches in a dropwire, thetail portion of the corresponding drop-wire may swing downwardly belowthe level of the contact bar to inactive position, whereby said contactbar may then be moved to a normal position spaced below the tailportions of the then active drop-wires.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, means resiliently restrainingmovement of said contact bar to maintain the latter in adjustedposition.

5. In a warp knitting machine having a sheet of warp yarns passingtherethrough and a relay in a stop motion circuit; the combination oflaterally spaced support blocks,

means pivotally supporting said support blocks beneath the path oftravel of said warp yarns, an electrically conductive pivot shaft spacedsubstantially from the means for pivotally supporting said supportblocks and being carried by said support blocks, a contact barelectrically connected with said relay and spaced substantially belowthe level of the means pivotally supporting the support blocks and beinginsulated from said pivot shaft, a plurality of electrically conductivedrop-wires pivotally supported intermediate their ends on said pivotshaft, each of said drop-wires having an up-turned head portion thereonprovided with a thread guide slot in its upper end through which acorresponding warp yarn normally passes, an overbalancing tail portionon each of said drop-wires normally held in spaced relation above thecontact bar by said warp yarns under normal tension whereby, upon a warpyarn having less than normal tension therein, the tail portion of thecorresponding drop-wire falls into engagement with the contact bar tocomplete an electrical circuit between the pivot shaft and the contactbar to close the circuit to said relay and stop the machine, manuallymovable cam means engaging said support blocks for adjusting theposition thereof about the means for pivotally supporting said supportblocks to thereby vary the position of the head portions of the dropwires relative to said warp yarns, and means resiliently restrainingmovement of said cam means to maintain the latter in adjusted position.

6. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough andwherein at least a portion of said sheet moves in a substantiallyhorizontal plane; the combination of a contact pivot shaft spacedbeneath the sheet, a laterally movable and pivoted shifting rod disposedin closely spaced relation beneath the path of travel of said warpyarns, at least two laterally spaced support blocks fixed on saidshifting rod, a contact bar eccentrically mounted for rotation in saidblocks and spaced substantially to one side of the vertical planes ofthe shifting rod and the contact pivot shaft and being fixed at oppositeends thereof in said support blocks, a plurality of dropwires pivotallysupported intermediate their ends on said pivot shaft, each drop-wirehaving a tail portion normally extending between the shifting rod andthe contact bar, a head portion on each of said drop-wires disposed onthe opposite side of the pivot shaft from the tail portion thereof, saidhead portion having first and second ears projecting upwardly therefromand defining a thread guide notch therebetween through which thecorresponding yarn normally passes, the first projection beingrelatively longer than the second projection on each drop-wire, manuallyoperable cam means for varying the position of said support blocks aboutthe axis of the shifting rod and relative to said warp yarns, said cammeans being so arranged as to position the support blocks in a high,intermediate and low position wherein the drop-wires are respectivelydisposed in normal raised position, a position with the secondprojection of each drop-wire disposed immediately beneath the normalpath of travel of the sheet of warp yarns and a position with the firstprojection disposed immediately beneath the normal path of travel of thesheet of warp yarns, means for adjustably rotating said contact bar, andthe eccentricity of said contact bar being such that the contact bar maybe moved clear of the free ends of the tail portions whereby saidcontact bar may be positioned to hold the tail portions in engagementwith the shifting rod as the support blocks are moved to said lowposition to facilitate free manipulation of the warp yarns, then saidfirst projections on the drop-wires may be raised with said supportblocks to said intermediate position, the drop-wires along with thesupport blocks shifted laterally to one side of the normal path of theindividual yarns, the blocks raised to the 0 high position to raise thesecond projections on the dropwires to where said yarns will extendthrough the thread guide notches and then the drop-wires may be shiftedback to their normal position for normal operation of the machine as thecontact bar is positioned in spaced relation beneath said tail portionsand, also, whereby said contact bar may be positioned so as to permitany of the drop-wires which do not engage a warp yarn to swing toinactive position and thereafter moved to a position in spaced relationbeneath the tail portions of the drop-wires to close an electricalcircuit passing through the contact bar and the pivot shaft upon a warpyarn having less than normal tension therein.

7. In a machine having a sheet of warp yarns passing therethrough; thecombination of a contact pivot shaft spaced beneath and extendinglaterally of the path of travel of said Warp yarns, a plurality ofdrop-wires pivotally mounted intermediate their ends on said pivotshaft, each of said drop-wires having a head portion and a tail portiondisposed on the opposite side of the pivot shaft from the head portion,a contact bar normally spaced beneath the tail portions of thedrop-wires, each head portion having a pair of closely spaced earsthereon, namely, a first ear and a second car, defining a thread guidenotch therebetween through which a corresponding yarn normally passeswhereby, upon a yarn having less than normal tension therein, the headportion is permitted to move upwardly thereby permitting the tailportion to move downwardly, by gravity, into engagement with the contactbar, said first ear extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of thesecond ear, means for effecting relative movement between the drop-wiresand the yarns in a plane substantially perpendicular to the path oftravel of the yarns whereby the head portions of the drop-wires may bepositioned alternately with both ears thereof beneath the level of thewarp yarns and with the first ear above the level of the warp yarns andwith both ears extending above the level of the warp yarns, and meansfor effecting relative movement between the yarns and the drop-wirestransversely of the normal path of travel of said yarns to facilitatethreading the warp yarns through the thread guide notches in the headportions of said drop-wires.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS808,417 Whitney Dec. 26, 1905 1,942,524 Welch et a1. Jan. 9, 1934 202,010,928 Quick Aug. 13, 1935

